The present invention relates to computer touch pad guards and more particularly, to a computer touch pad guard for use with a laptop computer keyboard with an optional wrist pad.
Laptop/notebook computers are commonly made with a touch pad located in front of the computer keyboard. Touch pads sense the inherent capacitance associated with a user""s finger for controlling a cursor on the computer screen according to the movement of the user""s finger. The computer mimics this movement and drags the cursor across the screen to any desired location. One example of a touch pad is disclosed in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,194, incorporated herein by reference.
The location of the touch pad in front of the keys on the keyboard, however, creates some problems. As the user types in a normal, relaxed position, the user""s palm will often hit the touch pad and move the cursor unintentionally. The unintentional movement of the cursor to an unexpected location can cause a number of problems. For example, when using word processing software, the cursor might be relocated in the document causing words to be typed on the wrong line.
To prevent these problems, a user often will hold his/her wrists in an abnormal position to avoid the palm hitting the touch pad. This abnormal positioning of the user""s wrists and hands can result in an increase in hand and wrist injuries, such as carpel tunnel syndrome.
Accordingly, there is a need for a touch pad guard that prevents inadvertent contact with a computer touch pad, for example, on a laptop/notebook keyboard, while allowing the user to access the touch pad with the fingers for movement of the cursor. A need also exists for a touch pad guard that incorporates a wrist pad for supporting the user""s wrist and further preventing injury to the user""s wrist or hand.
The present invention features a touch pad guard for preventing inadvertent contact with a computer touch pad. The touch pad guard comprises a guard member having an open bottom region for placement over the computer touch pad and at least one open side region for receiving at least one finger of a user to allow access to the touch pad. The guard member also has at least one closed side region for preventing inadvertent contact of a hand of the user with the computer touch pad. The touch pad guard further comprises an attachment device for attaching the guard member to a surface around the computer touch pad.
In one embodiment, the attachment device includes a strap attached to the guard member. The strap extends around a computer keyboard such that the guard member is positioned around the computer touch pad located on the computer keyboard. In another embodiment, the attachment device is removably attached to the surface around the touch pad. In a further embodiment, the attachment device is integrally attached to the surface around the touch pad.
In one embodiment, the touch pad guard member includes a closed top region, for example, having a rounded shape. The guard member can also include three closed side regions and one open side region. In another embodiment, the guard member includes two closed side regions and two open side regions. In a further embodiment, the guard member includes a single generally flat side that extends at an angle from the surface around the touch pad.
The present invention also features a combination touch pad guard and wrist pad apparatus for use on a keyboard having a touch pad. This apparatus comprises a touch pad guard member and a wrist pad attached to at least one side of the guard member and extending across a region of the keyboard adjacent to the touch pad. An attachment device attaches the guard member and wrist pad to the keyboard.
The present invention also features a combination portable computer with touch pad guard comprising a keyboard housing, a touch pad located on the keyboard housing, and a retractable touch pad guard member coupled to the keyboard housing. In one embodiment, the touch pad guard member is generally flat and is pivotably coupled to the keyboard housing. The touch pad guard member can also be spring biased to move from a retracted position into an in-use position when the portable computer is opened.